Day: August 15, 2016

This week we learned that a newOttawa Police Servicesrecruit was from a Somalibackground. (Read: BLACKS Less Intelligent?)Ottawa, Canada’s Capital City

It’s estimated that 85 per cent of Ottawa police members are white. We should be concerned that in Ottawa the police are not the people, which helps explain why tensions are high between visible minorities (NON-whites) and the police, fuelled by a lack in confidence in the authorities.

But the fly in the ointment in accepting a Somali-Canadian — let’s call him Const. John Doe (better yet, “Mohammad” – Editor ) — is that hecomes with “baggage”, according to the report of a civilian investigator who reviewed his background for the Ottawa police.

Let’s look at what the investigator alleged in her report. I’m not too concerned with the 16 speeding convictions, the investigator reported under the Highway Traffic Act, even though it could be seen … as showing little respect for the law.

But three (other) incidents give me great concern.

First, the investigator alleged in her report that Doe attempted to get a new licence while he was suspended. Second, she (investigator) alleged he had an incident three years ago where he falsely phoned (phoned in a false report to) the police. Third, the investigator alleged that Doe claimed (he lied) to have been selected by the Somali government for a program, when in fact, it was a friend who had been selected. These three matters raise questions of honesty.

Incidentally…

Ottawa police background–investigatorChristinaBenson was so incensed by Chief Charles Bordeleau‘s decisiontohireDoe …despite her conclusion that he was unsuitable … that she quit her job.Charles Bordeleau

If it were only the speeding, I’d agree with Bordeleau. But the three other alleged incidents suggest acts of dishonesty, and that’s a real problem for a cop, and the police. They could, however, be a gift to defence lawyers no doubt “licking their chops” at the thought of cross-examining Doe (“Mohammad”) in court in a future criminal case. Imagine a scenario where Doe laid a charge of impaired driving. The accused, who happens to be an upstanding member of society, denies in court that he had the usual signs of impairment at the scene. Doe testifies that the accused had blood shot eyes, was unsteady on his feet and driving erratically. Remember, this is not a battle of equals. The Crown (prosecutor) must prove beyond a reasonable doubt all the elements of the offence.

Being under oath, Doe gets cross-examined and his prior acts, as alleged by the investigator, are put to him. Let’s imagine that he agrees to the occurrences. Defence argues that the credibility of the officers is in doubt while his client’s background is unblemished. You would see the entire prosecution crumble.

I could even, hypothetically, imagine Benson coming back from retirement as a defencewitness to help torpedo the prosecution. Once Doe‘s been burned on the stand just once, the transcript of his testimony will make its rounds at the courthouse among other defence lawyers who will be waiting to use it whenever Doe appears.

What would OPS (Ottawa Police Service) — again hypothetically — do after that? (Oops!) They might have to assign him a desk job … one that keeps him in an office. Isn’t it ironic that this is the guy who was hired with hopes of diversifying the Ottawa police force and building bridges with communities? Another Example Gone Bad: “Poster–Boy” Ottawa Cop Charged (Criminal Harassment, theft) More details.

But what if we have to keep him from taking a (response) call? >Source (For added emphases, Bolded, underlined, italicized and parenthesis words and added links by ELNEditor)